


In the Sunlight

by magalix3



Series: Grilling Pineapples [3]
Category: GOT7
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Slice of Life, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-25 18:42:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18580345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magalix3/pseuds/magalix3
Summary: Jaebum and Youngjae come home.





	In the Sunlight

**Author's Note:**

> literally no one:
> 
> me: DID SOMEONE ASK FOR DOMESTIC FLUFF???????

[link]  
[link]  
[link]  
[link]  
[link]  
Opinions? Thots?  
I hate the pink toilet in house #3 though, like, why?  
> _Jaebummie, 4:05AM_

Youngjae blinks at his phone, blearily registers how Jaebum spelled ‘thoughts’, but has already clicked on the first link and the screen opens to a photo of a house and that has his brain struggling to connect the pieces of the texts.

A house listing. In a neighborhood he passes through to get to work. Three bedrooms, two baths, a carport and new kitchen cabinets.

The second also opens to a home listing; white shutters, single-story. The third has a fenced in yard, all new appliances, a pink toilet. The chrome-themed kitchen looks like something from a home-remodeling show. The fourth link brings him to something a little more run-down with Nantucket style shingles, but charming. And the fifth has a wrap-around porch. And Youngjae’s going to be sick with nervousness. He doesn’t even bother to reply with a text, he struggles to press the call button, first pressing too hard that the screen highlights everywhere, then he hits the back button, then he almost accidentally calls Jackson, who was the last message under Jaebum’s.

When he finally gets the phone to his ear he’s sitting upright in bed and nearly out of breath, his chest heaving and the world still blurry.

“Youngjae?”

“What’s? What’s with the links?”

“They’re houses, babe.” 

“But…. but they’re… for _sale_.”

“And they’re closer to your work. So you don’t have to do that stupid forty-five-minute-nearly-an-hour-commute-during-rush-hour, commute.” Jaebum has a pep in his voice. “And some of these don’t really change much for my drive, either.”

Meanwhile, Youngjae breaks apart. He exhales, frenzied with happiness. “You want to _what_ together?”

“Babe —? Youngjae? What’s the matter?”

“Oh, my fuckin’ God.” Youngjae presses his palm to his face and takes in a shuddering breath, trying to tell himself to calm the fuck down, just, breathe. In. Out. In — but the sun has barely come up yet and he’s still pretty lost on what’s going on, and what his feelings are, “You want to buy— You want to, like, buy a house together?”

Jaebum’s voice is high and watery, “— Yes?” Completely panicked.

“And you had to drop this on me while you’re in _Spain_?!” He chokes as he breathes back in, voice cracking as he yells, “What the fuck!!!”

“I’m not sure what made you think I don’t want anything else? Youngjae, fuck, Youngjae, my love. My sunshine.” Jaebum’s voice breaks off into a laugh, still pitched too high and just too weird. “Oh, my God. You scared me. I almost hit Chelsea in the face in a rush to get out of the cafe.”

Pure, unfiltered joy breaks through Youngjae’s chest, and he laughs. Laughs through his tears and laughs alongside his fiancé, until he feels tuckered out and done for the day even before getting out of bed, his body heavy from going through too many emotions at once.

“I just… This is a lot. It’s a lot. You really want to?”

“Are the rings around our fingers not enough to prove to you that I love you? Quiero pasar el resto de mi vida contigo.”

Youngjae groans in between his sobs. “I only understood vida and contigo and that’s good enough for me.”

Jaebum laughs, and Youngjae yearns for the day he can hear it unfiltered, next to his ear, against his skin, feel it against his lips, “Ten more days, babe.”

Looks like one of them hasn’t stopped the countdown. “Ten more days.”

 

****

** \-------------------------------------- **

A few months ago, around the time Youngjae decided ‘New Job, New Me,’ he reached out to Jackson for help and guidance on a healthier lifestyle change. He reads about healthy eating and talks to Jackson, who’s been into this sort of thing since high school. Jackson gets Youngjae into the gym during the week, and helps set up an eating plan. Saturday mornings work differently, though, Jackson shows up at nine on the dot and wakes Youngjae up with the doorbell, or sometimes he spends the night, crashing on the couch after they’ve watched too much television together. The Friday night binge marathon and Saturday morning jogs balance each other perfectly. Best friends spending time together is a huge plus.

Even though they both know Jaebum wouldn’t mind, they’re both aware that this cycle will break when Jaebum returns. They savors these mornings together, putting off the conversation of figuring out what to do next, until much later. Youngjae knows that Jaebum won’t complain about it, and would probably enjoy being a part of the workout regime, but Youngjae knows Jackson well enough to know that Jackson would see it as an overstay of his welcome. 

On the second to last morning before Jaebum’s arrival, Youngjae wakes without Jackson pestering him. He’d spent the night, sleeping on the futon in the living room, and should be shaking Youngjae awake by now. Youngjae slides from the bed and staggers out the bedroom, rubbing tiredly at his face. 

Jackson lies on the couch very much awake, per usual, with Nora curled up on his stomach, Jackson’s fingers massaging into her head.

“I’ve never been this close to her.” Jackson whispers, as if not to disturb the sleeping cat. “She’s never let me get this close.”

It’s quite the leap in Jackson and Nora’s relationship. Youngjae snags Jackson’s phone from the coffee table to snapshot the historical moment. Jackson freezes a second later.

“I can’t move.”

“Why not?” Youngjae pads over to the kitchen, where he still has a full view of the living room.

“What if she wakes up and I lose her trust again and —”

Youngjae crunches the bag of Meow Mix on the counter and Nora lifts her head. Jackson’s hand stops, hovering over her. The sound of a little plastic cup digging through the kibble makes her get up and trot over, tail curled high in the air. Still on the couch, Jackson reaches out with a hand, as if betrayed by her loyalty to the dry food.

“There goes the love of my life…” Jackson mumbles, and Youngjae laughs at him.

They start with eggs and toast for breakfast. Youngjae eats slowly, because he still hates jogging and wants to put it off for as long as possible. Jackson’s running commentary makes it a lot easier, as Youngjae focuses more on conversation than of the burning in his thighs, but it’s still a form of torture. 

This morning, though, Jackson keeps steady a few paces ahead, remaining quiet with one earbud in his ear. Even without a distraction besides his own music playing in one ear as well, Youngjae realizes this mile thing isn’t that bad. He makes the whole mile-long lap without needing a break, glancing at Jackson’s pensive expression through the jog, trying to read it from the side. Jackson looks unbothered by the run, but extremely troubled by whatever goes through his head.

“What’re you thinkin’ about?” Youngjae asks when they’re back in the kitchen of his apartment, before he downs a cup of water.

Jackson shrugs. His arms are thicker than Youngjae’s, his shoulders defined and tight, as he goes to the gym without Youngjae, too. He’s always been into health and self-care, he’s going to be young forever. Youngjae envies him.

It’s only after they’ve pulled the home weights and yoga mats from behind the couch, when they’re lying on their backs in a position for crunches, that Jackson speaks.

“My mom and dad are coming on Thurs.”

Youngjae breathes in, breathes out, and lifts his elbows to his knees on the third count. “Woah, it feels like you told me they were coming in a month only like, a few days ago.”

Nothing else gets exchanged for a few more moments, Jackson counting out their pace. They fall back on their mats when he says, “I didn’t even tell Jooheon.”

“Oh.” Youngjae twists his head to the side to gaze over at Jackson. “Why not?”

“Because he’s been super duper clear that he wants to meet my family and that he wants me to meet his.”

Youngjae knocks his knee a little too hard against his elbow. He doesn’t quite get what there is to worry about. To him, the next step makes sense. “You’ve been together for almost a year?”

“Yeah, ten months. It’s just scary. I’ve never met _any_ of my boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s families, like, none of us were together long enough, or they didn’t take me seriously enough. Lucas and Jessica both played me.” Youngjae winces at the memories. He remembers how he had been so excited over Lucas back in college, and how it went on for too long when Lucas had no intention of sticking around. Jessica had been more recent, a pretty girl with so much charm and the straightest poker-face Youngjae’s ever seen. That relationship lasted even less time, even though it took a lot for Jackson to try again. Youngjae still feels guilty for being the one to push Jackson to get back out there too quickly. 

For his current relationship, Jackson had kept kind-hearted but patiently determined Jooheon at an arm’s length for quite some time before saying yes to a date.

“But Jooheon’s family’s from Bellevue and his dad can’t fly so we’d have to take a flight out there.” Jackson drops his arms to the floor, giving up on exercising for now, waving his hands in the air, instead. “This isn’t, like, meeting them for dinner and then dipping if it’s awkward, kinda thing. They want us to stay for a week and they want us to sleep at their house, like, dude, this is so fuckin’ serious. And I’ve been making excuses why we can’t go out to them, but now my family’s gonna be here, so there’s no reason for us to not just move forward and finally do it. But I’m fuckin’ scared. This is. This is such a huge deal.”

Youngjae needs to process this. Sometimes he forgets Jackson, loud and outspoken and confident Jackson Wang, has insecurities. Not that it doesn’t come from someplace valid. “From what you’ve told me, Jooheon’s close with his mom and his brother, right? If he wants you to fly all the way across the country to meet them, then that means he’s really serious about you. So you should figure out if this relationship means that to you, too.” Youngjae folds his knees again, getting ready to bend forward into a crunch. Jackson and Jooheon joke and play around like good friends, but when they sit and have moments to themselves, it’s clear how much they care for each other. Youngjae knows of their arguments, too, and once had been in the room when they exploded at each other. 

Their words, however, are supported by compassion and respect, and Youngjae understands why Jackson really took it slow this time around. 

Jackson looks at him adoringly. “When’d you get so wise?”

Youngjae smiles, rolling onto his side. “I think it’s kinda good that you’re scared. Because it _is_ a big deal and that means you care.”

“I guess.”

“Do you love him enough to want to do this?”

Jackson breathes in. Blinks up at the ceiling. “Yeah.”

 

****

** \-------------------------------------- **

_Thursday, December 12th, 8:00pm._

On the week of Jaebum’s arrival, holiday madness starts to pick up. Christmas countdowns remind Youngjae of the holiday shopping list he hasn’t touched yet, that he hasn’t put the string lights around the porch railing yet, that he wanted to surprise Jaebum with a little Christmas tree, but hasn’t had time to put that up, either. Mark and Jinyoung invite him to go cut one down with them, but they have their daughter, and Youngjae doesn’t feel right invading their family time. Jackson extends an invite to accompany him and Jooheon, insisting Christmas isn’t much of a real celebration in either of their houses and they do these things for fun, so Youngjae wouldn’t be intruding on anything, but Youngjae ends up busy on the day they do go.

On the day of Jaebum’s return, Youngjae shows up a little before eight, sitting in his parked car near the drop-off zone. 

He stares at the time.

Jaebum already warned him that traffic slowed them down on the highway so their ETA changed, and the extra half hour drags like nothing in Youngjae’s life has ever dragged before. He needs it, though. He spent this past week running around and between preparing things for his fiancé’s arrival while still working long hours, he only realizes the gravity of the moment until Thursday evening. He needs time to sit and breathe.

Things have changed so much in five months; Jaebum missed Youngjae’s first day of work, missed the trip to see Soyeon, was away for Youngjae’s twenty-sixth birthday (surprised him by sending him a video of a group of students singing Happy Birthday in two different languages, though) and while it’d been long and difficult, most of it feels blurred out and rushed. It doesn’t feel like five months have passed.

The Greyhound bus rounds into the parking lot with a rumble loud enough that Youngjae hears it, pulling him from a trance. He waits until it parks, settles, and the doors swing open. 

First comes the bus driver, unlocking the carrier bays, and next comes Jerry. Not even seeing Jerry could ruin the strum of giddiness prickling under Youngjae’s skin. He doesn’t know why he can’t move. 

Next comes Jaebum, in sweatpants and a hoodie that Youngjae’s been looking for. Jaebum glances around, pushes his hair from his eyes. It’s wavy, messy from the salty sea he spent so much time in. Even from a distance, Youngjae can see how it softens his features and compliments the deep tan of his skin. Jaebum helps the bus driver unload the suitcases as students begin to pile out, each looking as tired as the next.

Youngjae gets out of the car, shoving his keys in his jeans pocket and walking over. He pats his hands on his thighs, telling himself not to run over and launch himself into his fiancé’s broad shoulders.

As Jaebum pulls a suitcase out from the carrier bay, leaning over to read the luggage tag, one of his students catches Youngjae’s gaze. She smiles, and swats at Jaebum.

“Professor Im! Didn’t you say your fiancé was coming?!”

Youngjae can’t help but laugh when Jaebum shoots up, the excitement morphing physically for both of them and Youngjae’s grinning, huge and wide and laughing because he doesn’t know what else to do with his excitement, opening his arms as Jaebum nearly vaults over a turned sideways suitcase to come running, arms outstretched and sweater billowing and his hair flopping, and Youngjae steps forward just in time for them to crash together. 

“Ohhh, my _God_.” Youngjae doesn’t want to cry in front of two dozen college kids and Jerry, but when he buries his head in Jaebum’s shoulder and breathes in the scent of the sea, and the scent of Jaebum underneath it, of the earthy smell that’s washed out of Youngjae’s clothes and the sheets, longing burns up his chest and his throat like something bitter, and the only way to ease the burn is to let the tears out.

Jaebum squeezes Youngjae until his body and chest heave in protest but Youngjae squeezes until he hears Jaebum wheeze. Neither of them complain.

“I’ve missed you,” Jaebum sounds misty, a little far off. “I’ve missed you so, so much.”

The students cheer for them and Jerry turns away— who fucking cares about Jerry? Jaebum sways himself and Youngjae, and Youngjae follows the movement, willing to go wherever Jaebum goes. But he pulls away a little bit, because Jaebum still has to go back, the trip is over but his duty as guardian of these kids isn’t. When hands come up to cup Youngjae’s face, though, he can’t get himself to let go.

Youngjae didn’t think that Jaebum would kiss him, not in front of the students and the bus driver and Jerry and the few parents that come trailing in to pick up the students that don’t drive, but his lip trembles at the way Jaebum looks at him. Real and _here_ , in front of him, tangible. It’s a moment Youngjae’s dreamed of. So when Jaebum leans forward and the mass of students behind them start cheering, Youngjae grins into the kiss and the fondness and the way the love shines in Jaebum’s eyes.

“Go help your students.” Youngjae says after a breath, happy, on cloud nine.

“I’ll be right back.” Jaebum angles him to kiss his forehead. 

“I’ll be here.”

 

 

The time difference and long travel has Jaebum set in another zone, so all the energy from the parking lot, and all the energy he has on the ride home, and the energy he has to meet Nora excitedly mewling, drain out of him like a broken dam. He hits the bed like a sack of bricks and is out like a baby before his head hits the pillow. By nine-thirty, Youngjae stands in the doorway of his bedroom, feeling whole again as he soaks up the sight of Jaebum filling the space that’s missed him, face pressed into a pillow and one of his legs kicked out over Youngjae’s side of the bed.

 

****

** \-------------------------------------- **

The first morning and Youngjae wakes with Jaebum’s side of the bed empty. The warmth of his body has already left the sheets and Youngjae blinks at the sunlight streaming in through the window, and wonders if the birds chirping through the window and the hum of a Keurig from another room means he’s still dreaming.

Youngjae stumbles out of bed and rubs a hand through his hair, adjusting the legs of his boxers that have bundled in his sleep, and ambles over to the kitchen where Jaebum stands tall over the stove in a too-big tee, looking like a mirage in the sunlight.

“You’re up?”

Jaebum smiles at him, softly, and the way the sun hits his skin and the way he moves so gently— yeah, this has to be a dream. He places a kiss on Youngjae’s nose and turns back to the pot on the stove. 

“What’s that?” It smells thick like coffee, but bolder. Just the smell awakens the room.

“Café. I brought back so much. You’re gonna love it.” 

Puffy rolls of bread and jam sit on the kitchen table, and Youngjae eyes it. It looks like the photos of Jaebum’s breakfast that he’d wake up to. He goes to shower when he’s instructed to, as Jaebum pulls apart the bread and digs out butter from the fridge.

He comes back to breakfast made, and Jaebum excitedly explains the names of the dishes in Spanish. Despite only having about about twenty minutes before he has to leave for work, Youngjae sits opposite Jaebum at their small kitchen table. He tries the bread and jams and the strong coffee, the next thing tasting better than the last. 

When he kisses Jaebum by the front door, he tastes the sugar Jaebum used in his own café con leche, and Youngjae swings forward for another kiss.

“I know you told me not to take the day off,” Youngjae starts, leaning in for another kiss. “But I regret it already.”

“It’s fine, we’ll be together all weekend and I’ll make sure you’re sick of me by Monday.” Jaebum insists, lips warm. He closes his eyes for another kiss. 

“Hm,” Youngjae sets his hand against Jaebum’s neck, finding the pulse with his palm. “Sick of you after one weekend? Highly likely.”

Jaebum laughs and playfully kicks his butt on the way out. “I should’ve found myself a pretty Spanish boy.”

Youngjae grabs him by the collar and pulls him in, stealing a kiss far too messy to be having out in the hallway of their apartment. The neighbors don’t need to know their business.

“Okay,” Jaebum’s figure takes up most of the doorframe, authoritative and huge, and the heady look in his eyes makes Youngjae want to crawl right into arms. “I take it back. I also regret you not taking the day off.”

“It was your idea.” Youngjae releases his hold on the now crinkled collar of Jaebum’s shirt. His fingers skim down Jaebum’s chest, barely-there. Jaebum’s jaw strains, and Youngjae watches the bob of his Adam’s apple.

Jaebum rests his weight against the doorway, gaze falling down to the places Youngjae loves that he bites; his lips, his neck, his thighs. “Why must you do as I say?”

“You know I’ll do anything you ask.” Youngjae’s hands linger on the band of Jaebum’s sleep pants, finger catching and tugging on the loop of the tied string. Jaebum closes his eyes, well-trained in self control. Youngjae loves teasing, even at his own expense.

“So if I asked you to cancel the welcome-home party you planned for tonight?”

Youngjae leans in, sighing as Jaebum’s large hand comes to rest on his waist, underneath his belt, hot and heavy. Fuck. His own hand reaches for the wrinkled part of Jaebum’s shirt collar, pulling it a little lower to strain the material he wants to rip right off of Jaebum’s broad shoulders. He sucks his lower lip into his mouth, biting too hard, trying to distract himself from biting other things, like Jaebum’s lips, that hover only inches in front of his own. Or perhaps his ear, as Youngjae reaches up, gliding his thumb over the row of round studs in his earlobes.

“If I asked you to cancel it so it’d be just you and me all night?” The drop in Jaebum’s tone stirs the arousal already rising in Youngjae.

Jaebum’s breath comes out as shaky as Youngjae feels on his own two feet.

A door slams around the hallway, and Youngjae fumbles back, grabbing his bag from the floor. He’d been holding it a minute ago.

“I’ll see you after work.” Youngjae breathes out. He doesn’t kiss his fiancé, in case neither of them can stop. “ _At_ the party.”

He’s late, but Youngjae sits in his running car out in the parking lot of the apartment building with his head pressed against the steering wheel, trying to think of anything else that’ll get his mind off the feeling of having Jaebum’s pulse against his. Having Jaebum pulsing —

Youngjae slaps himself with both his hands, open-palmed on both his cheeks and, _no. Stop it._

 

****

** \-------------------------------------- **

The doorbell rings at four-thirty. Trust Mark and Jinyoung to be the well-put-together couple, the poster adults for adulthood and the poster couple for a family, looking flawless like a catalogue spread with Anna in a velvet dress in Mark’s arms. Jinyoung wears thick frames and a burgundy cardigan over his button-up, brown shoes matching his brown belt. Mark never bothers to match colors, but his grey turtleneck and black trousers look anything but lazy.

Youngjae takes Anna into his arms, planting kisses over her chubby cheeks while she squeals in delight. Jinyoung shoves past them as Jaebum exits the kitchen with cookies stuffed in his hands and his mouth and he stops to scan over Jinyoung’s outfit, immediately complaining about how absolutely ridiculous it is that Jinyoung showed up looking like a model for a relaxed, at home get-together. Jaebum drops all the cookies in his hands when he has to choose between them and hugging Jinyoung, though, grinning anyway as he complains. 

He adds in an extra flare of lifting his best friend and spinning him in the air.

Youngjae gives them their moment, smiling at the way Mark’s high laughter bounces around the apartment. Anna takes all of Youngjae’s attention, her brown eyes wide with excitement. 

“Do you wanna get some snacks while your dads aren’t looking?”

Anna puts a finger to her lips and nods, giggling as Youngjae carries her to the kitchen. He sits her on the counter, her little legs kicking out and banging against the cabinets. Youngjae doesn’t mind, pulling a churro from the still-warm oven and finding the melted chocolate in the microwave. He loves spoiling Anna. She just has that face, those curious eyes and chubby cheeks that makes Youngjae want to give her the world.

“Do you wanna try?” He offers, and Anna stops chewing on her fingers to nod, extending the slobbered hand out in anticipation for goodies. Youngjae doesn’t think twice about using his own hand to wipe it off, and wipes it on his old jeans. He and Jaebum dressed plainly for today, but he can hear Jaebum still complaining about feeling pressured to change into something nicer because of the married couple’s attire.

Youngjae breaks off an end of the churro, cooing at how Anna grins widely. He blows the treat off so it’s cooler before popping it into Anna’s mouth.

“How come every time I leave you alone with her, I find you feeding her chocolate?” Mark laughs as he enters the kitchen, coming over to wipe the smidge of chocolate off the corner of his daughter’s lips. He looks at Anna with so much love, and it makes Youngjae take a step back. Just watching Mark and Jinyoung go through the adoption process had been exhausting, but seeing how the two look and treat Anna makes it all worth it.

“Because she loves it.” Youngjae says, breaking off another piece of churro. 

Youngjae doesn’t know if he wants kids, himself. It rarely comes up in conversation, leading him to always assume that Jaebum possesses similar thoughts on the topic; no kids. Jaebum calls Nora his baby, and Youngjae still dreams of getting a dog. A big dog, one day, when there’s a yard for the dog to play in.

Considering the conversation Youngjae and Jaebum had a few weeks ago; mortgages and loans and pink toilets and newly-remodeled kitchens, he wonders if that wish will come true sooner rather than later.

“Daddy said I’ll get…” Anna’s face scrunches in determination. “Cave-tees.”

Youngjae wants to die she’s so cute. “I’ve been to your house, you guys don’t have sweet snacks.” Mark and Jinyoung eat well, and as much as Youngjae gets it, especially with his new eating habits, there are some things he wouldn’t give up for anything. Giving Anna chocolate every so often doesn’t seem like a bad idea, even though Jinyoung would be frowning at it.

“Well, I made chocolate chip cookies the other day.” Mark doesn’t make any attempts to take Anna away.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, made ‘em from scratch, too.”

Youngjae turns to Anna, leaning over and whispering, “Were they yummy?”

Anna pouts, puffs out her cheeks and glances over to her dad. She doesn’t say _yes._

Mark looks mildly affronted, the corners of his lips curling as he reaches out to pinch her cheeks, “I can’t believe you!”

“She wouldn’t lie!” Youngjae turns back to Anna, who stares up at him with a cute little smile on her face and he can’t help it when he moves closer to her to wrap his arms around her. She hugs him back, her little hands gripping the back of his shirt. 

“Can I have more churro?” She asks in her small little voice, and not even her dad can say no to her.

 

A little while later, Jackson and Jooheon show up. Jackson unlocks the apartment with his own key and Jaebum slowly, very slowly, swivels his head to shoot Youngjae an accusatory glance. Right, that had happened while he was away.

Jinyoung stands so abruptly that he almost knocks his wine glass off the table. “Jackson has a key and I don’t?! I, the _best_ friend? How many times have I babysat Nora for you? The _disrespect_ —”

Jackson laughs and waves his key in Jinyoung’s face, but reels it back when Jinyoung spots Jooheon, who locks his hands in front of him and bows politely once they make eye contact.

“Oh, yeah,” Jackson steps aside, gesturing for Jooheon to step up to his side. “This is my boyfriend Jooheon. And these are Jaebum’s friends, Mark and Jinyoung, and their daughter, Anna.” While they all exchange pleasantries, Anna climbs off Youngjae’s lap to throw herself into Jackson’s arms. They don’t all hang out much, as everyone has conflicting schedules, but they get along great, and always ask about each other.

No one’s surprised that Jooheon mixes well with the rest of them. Youngjae and Jaebum know him very well, they’ve double dated quite a few times and have hung out in each other’s apartments for cheap and lazy nights in. His shyness goes away after a few beers, and after Anna climbs into his lap and runs her hands through his orange hair. He moves around the room with Jackson, until Mark and Jaebum sit to talk about Spain and Jooheon leaves his boyfriend’s side to sit and listen to the stories. Youngjae keeps an eye on the way Jackson watches Jooheon affectionately. All Youngjae wants is for Jackson to find someone that loves him; someone that fits into his life and supports and loves him with the same energy Jackson loves with.

 

Later in the evening they Facetime Bambam and Yugyeom in South Korea. Too much yelling happens, but Jaebum finds his way back to Youngjae’s side as they talk, one arm looping around his waist. When Youngjae passes the phone to Mark, who sits next to Jooheon playing with Anna, to get them all in frame, Jackson moves to sit next to Youngjae and Jaebum.

“How’d the meeting the parents thing, go?” Youngjae leans over to whisper into Jackson’s ear, Jaebum’s arm loose around his waist still.

Jackson sips his beer, glancing over at his boyfriend. “He was pretty fuckin’ pissed hadn’t mentioned it before.”

“Understandable.” Youngjae agrees. Jaebum squeezes his side, wordlessly implying, _be nice._

“But… it went great. My parents loved him, and he was really happy.”  
Jackson doesn’t have to say he loves Jooheon, Youngjae can see it in Jackson’s gaze. He wonders if he’s ever been caught being mushy and staring at Jaebum in the same way. “We’re gonna go to Bellevue in January to see his family.”

 

****

** \-------------------------------------- **

Too much wine had put them to bed before midnight, and when Youngjae wakes up on Saturday morning, the bed isn’t empty. The arm thrown over his chest and the breath against his neck are a welcoming good morning gift. He rolls over, unintentionally disturbing Jaebum’s sleep. Jaebum’s eyes flutter and Youngjae smiles at him, reaching up to trace a finger over the curve of his cheekbone.

“So handsome,” Youngjae mumbles, smiling wider as Jaebum opens his eyes. He quirks an eyebrow, as if waiting for more praise but Youngjae doesn’t offer anything else. They settle into silence, instead, the two of them having nothing to say as they just take in the moment of being in bed with each other, well-rested after a long night of socializing followed by a deep sleep full of cuddles.

“I missed you.” Jaebum mumbles.

“I know.”

Jaebum jabs a cold toe into Youngjae’s ankle and Youngjae loses the battle of trying to get away. He wraps both arms around his fiancé, burying his face into his chest. 

“You still kinda smell like the sea.” He closes his eyes as Jaebum’s hand pets his hair. “I like it.”

“You changed the laundry detergent.” Jaebum says, sniffing the pillows. “I hate it.”

Youngjae digs his fingers into Jaebum’s sensitive sides. “It had a teddy bear on the packaging, I thought it was cute.”

Jaebum laughs, squeezing affectionately. “Well, now that I’m back, I’m relieving you of your laundry duties. And dumping out the rest of the bottle.” He rains kisses all over Youngjae’s face, his hair, his shoulders. It’s meant to be playful and that’s all it is. Youngjae’s heart swells so much he doesn’t think it’ll fit in his chest anymore.

They talk more about Spain, about the kids in Youngjae and Jaebum’s classes, about Soyeon and her full recovery. Youngjae talks about Miss Miranda and Mr. Kirby. Jaebum fits his thighs between Youngjae’s, his hands sliding up and down Youngjae’s side in a way that’s not anything other than gentle. They talk until it’s almost noon, and Youngjae shifts to get comfortable, still with no intention to get out of bed. He throws a leg over Jaebum’s as he tries to get closer and Jaebum completely stalls out mid-sentence.

“Are you okay?” Youngjae asks, confused and pulling his hands away as Jaebum lifts the blankets. “What’s happening?”

“You’ve been— ?”

Youngjae doesn’t get what Jaebum’s looking at. His thighs? They’d both slipped into bed last night after pulling on tee-shirts and shucking their pants off, leaving them both in their underwear. Jaebum reaches down to lift the hem of Youngjae’s boxer leg and he makes a winded little _oh_ noise.

Ah, Youngjae gets it now. He flexes the bulky muscle in his thigh and feels smug at the way Jaebum’s eyes dart up to his face.

“You’ve been working out.”

“Yeah. I go to the gym three or four times a week with Jackson.”

“I knew that.” Jaebum sounds a little off, one of his hands reaching down to grip Youngjae’s leg. It’s been too long, and one touch is all it takes for the heat in Youngjae’s body to crank up. “But I didn’t realize _this_.”

Jaebum just touches him for a little while, touches that make Youngjae boil under the skin. He lifts his hips when Jaebum gently tugs his boxers off. Jaebum rolls him over his back and kneels between his legs. Jaebum drags his hands wherever he can touch; around the curve of Youngjae’s muscle. His thumbs press and run up the back of his thighs, to the swell of his ass, and back down. Youngjae closes his eyes and whimpers, breathing in tandem with the way Jaebum fondles his inner thighs, squeezing and gripping. When Jaebum’s hands stay there, digging into soft flesh, Youngjae tries to hold his breath and lift his hips, already half hard with the way Jaebum appreciates his body. It’s too hot in the room; too hot for mid-December.

Then Jaebum moves lower, readjusts his position so he’s lying between Youngjae’s spread legs. He presses a kiss to the inside of Youngjae’s leg, and Youngjae bucks up. When he opens his eyes and looks down he gets a thrill at the way his thighs are splotched red from Jaebum’s hands. His body runs so hot that he’s hard now, full and curved and even his ears are red. 

When Jaebum bites into his thigh, Youngjae stutters a moan, head falling back and hands coming down to pull on Jaebum’s hair. He gives one desperate tug and his back arches and he rolls his hips against Jaebum’s face, Jaebum’s mouth teasing by his entrance.

“Please. Please, Jaebummie.”

Even though he loves it, his body jumps at every bite, at every harsh burn, whimpering when Jaebum lathers the sting with his tongue. By the time Jaebum decides he’s done, Youngjae’s shaking, dick already dripping pre-cum over his belly. His skin stings, burns all over, and he almost blows it when Jaebum leans over to lick at his dick, cleaning up pre-come. Youngjae’s body respond too eagerly, pulsing more out and he doesn’t even care how desperate he looks, spreading his legs more, looking down to catch the sight of Jaebum between his legs, lips wrapped around only the head of his cock. The pressure is almost not-there, and just as Youngjae’s about to thrust his hips, Jaebum pulls away. He settles back between Youngjae’s legs, warm hands pressing again on the love bites. Each one sends a jolt through Youngjae’s body as he’s completely relinquished control to desire, allowing Jaebum to play him like a puppet.

“Your ass and thighs would look so good in, in…” Jaebum licks his lips, and for a second Youngjae thinks he’s going to have to coax the fantasy out, “Some lace.”

“I can get some.”

Jaebum swallows thickly, hands open and spread around Youngjae’s hips, holding him in place, halting all movement. He’d do it, he’d buy a pretty pair of lace panties and some stockings. He’s a little surprised they haven’t done that yet.

“I’ll wait for you in bed.” He whines as the grip on his hips tighten, borderlining on painful. He can get Jaebum to unleash a little more, though, and knows how to do it. “You like black, right? Black lace?”

In this position, with Youngjae on his back, ass in Jaebum’s lap, he can feel that Jaebum’s hard even though he hasn’t been touched yet. Youngjae widens his legs, his hands sliding against the bed and coming up to touch the skin of Jaebum’s taut stomach. They slide down to the band of his underwear, fingers dipping beneath the elastic. 

“Didn’t you say you wanted me to fuck you?” He doesn’t care either way. Youngjae likes when Jaebum tops. He trusts Jaebum, and he likes being held down, likes the motions and the feeling of having the one he loves inside of him. But he also likes it when Jaebum begs for it.

Jaebum dips forward, back curving as he leans in for kisses. Deep; all tongue, all desperate. 

“Fuck me, Youngjae.”

During the first handful of times they had sex, Youngjae bottomed. They didn’t always go all the way, and still don’t, there’s more to sex than penetration. But the first time that Youngjae fell between Jaebum’s legs changed things for them in bed.

“It’s been a while.” Jaebum warns as Youngjae grabs the lube.

“Five months?”

“Well,” Jaebum averts his gaze to the ceiling. “Yeah.”

Youngjae pours a little more lube onto his hand. Better safe than sorry. “A week, for me.” When Jaebum’s head snaps up, all Youngjae does is laugh a little. Jaebum knows about the toys in the drawer, and Youngjae knows the thought arouses him. Hell, it goes both ways. “I’ll have to show you sometime.” He says conversationally, as if he weren’t telling his boyfriend he used a dildo, while one of his hands move down between Jaebum’s legs.

Youngjae takes his time. Not only because Jaebum needs plenty of time to be stretched, but because it’s fun making him whine and watching his fingers curl into the bedsheet. Youngjae fingers Jaebum until his wrist hurts from the strain and Jaebum’s cock is slick with pre-cum, and he can’t take it anymore, his stomach tightening as his body trembles.

The slide is easy, wet, and Youngjae eyes flutter shut as Jaebum throws his head back in pleasure.

It’s been so long, and neither of them care anymore for foreplay. They’ll have time for that later. Jaebum reels Youngjae down so they’re chest to chest, Jaebum nearly folded, their hips flush, and Youngjae thrusts forward, groaning, arms giving out as he falls to his elbows. He fucks with one hand on Jaebum’s hip, the other in Jaebum’s hair with Jaebum’s knees curled around his torso. He pulls Jaebum, just a little, angling his hips to find his prostate and he hits it dead on at the new angle. Youngjae feels Jaebum’s blunt nails trying to dig into his shoulders and he tries to keep diving into the same spot, grunting as Jaebum rolls his hips, meeting his thrusts.

“Like that, baby. Right there.” Jaebum whispers against his lips, and Youngjae bites down, sucking on Jaebum’s lower lip, trying to go faster, months of frustration snapping his hips forward. He whines when Jaebum grabs his hair by the nape and reaches between them to tug on Jaebum’s dick, fast, sloppy with their trusting and panting and groaning, and Jaebum pushes his shoulders back against the pillows. 

Youngjae reaches his climax first, hips stuttering and breath catching in his throat, and jerks Jaebum off to spill into his hands.

He legs shake as he tries to walk, they’re red and sore, but Youngjae manages to get a towel to clean themselves up with. He pats his thighs, since they’re too sensitive to be rubbed, and curls up next to Jaebum. 

Despite sleeping well last night, they drift in and out of sleep for a few hours.

****

** \-------------------------------------- **

“God Bless the 21st century.” Jaebum orders delivery on his phone, hours later, when they realize it’s past three and they haven’t moved out of bed or eaten a single thing.

Youngjae smiles through the group chat with his college friends. Bambam and Jackson yell at each other in all caps and heart emojis, as usual. He has a side conversation going with Yugyeom… in the same chat room.

Every so often Jaebum will cuddle up next to him and he’ll leave kisses on Jaebum’s head, but their touches stay sweet, slipping in and out of conversation. It’s nice to just _be,_ again.

Bambam, Yugyeom and Jackson tease Youngjae about having Jaebum back when the food arrives. They talk about their sex lives, sometimes, if the topic drifts in that direction, but today it’s pretty relentless. Youngjae had been doing a great job of dodging accusations and teasings, but doesn’t feel it’s necessary anymore.

_Yes! I’m so so happy he’s back. It’s almost four and we haven’t gotten out of bed yet lmao_

He doesn’t realize how serious it is until he goes into the bathroom and stops in front of the mirror. Hickies decorate his thigh, around his hip bone, the skin still irritated in some areas. It barely hurts now, just a dull sting of pain only if he thinks about it.

Behind him, Jaebum sucks in a breath when he enters the bathroom. “Shit.” He comes around, eyes wide and full of guilt. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think I was —”

“It’s okay.” Youngjae whispers, letting the words come out without thinking of it, first. “I like it.”

Jaebum pauses for a beat too long, “Let’s get some ointment on it. And then we have to eat.”

****

** \-------------------------------------- **

Their time apart, although difficult at points, hadn’t been as much of a challenge as Youngjae originally thought. He loves Jaebum, loves their relationship, so being on different continents just felt like a normal part of _them_. It doesn’t matter where they are, they love and confide in each other, and want to see the other bloom in their respective fields. But it doesn’t stop Youngjae from attaching on Jaebum like a leech. Jaebum joked about Youngjae getting sick of him by the end of the weekend, but with the way Youngjae clings to Jaebum like a lifeline, maybe it’ll end up being the other way around. At least Jaebum doesn’t seem bothered, smiling at him.

On Sunday night they’re lounging in the living room watching Bob’s Burgers, Jaebum lying against the cushions and Youngjae lying atop him, the two of them making passing commentary. They pause the show at one point when they talk about Spain, about Jerry, who apparently made a phone call about Jaebum and Youngjae’s kiss on Thursday. The only person that suffers repercussions is Jerry himself.

“Good, that no one’s on his side. He’s useless.” Youngjae mumbles, cheek pressed against Jaebum’s chest, breathing to the sound of Jaebum’s heart rate.

“The students are going to ream him on the evaluation.”

“And then next time he won’t be the one to go with you.”

Jaebum’s hand stops moving through Youngjae’s hair. “Next time?”

“Aren’t you studying abroad again?” Youngjae doesn’t see the problem with it. “I missed you, but, not enough for you to assume you’d give up the opportunity to force yourself to stay here.”

“The next time I go abroad...” Jaebum pauses. “The next time I travel, it’ll be with you. On our honeymoon.”

He turns his gaze back to Youngjae, whose breath has left in a quiet _oh._

“It’s almost New Years.” Jaebum reminds him. “We wanted to get married next year.”

Youngjae’s heart stutters and comes back to life with a kiss, deep and full of life-long promises; domesticity, marriages and _I do’s_ , romantic getaways, a home, fights over the laundry. These are things Youngjae never thought of for himself but all theses things are real, coming to fruition probably within the span of twelve months, and thinking about it opens the gates to all too many things at once. Things that are exciting and new but absolutely frightening.

The way Youngjae pours himself into the kiss leaves him and Jaebum gasping for breath, in an emotionally different place than they were only a few minutes ago. It’s a lot. The way he feels about Jaebum, about the security of his future, of them as Jaebum and Youngjae, no matter what it holds, is a lot.

“Youngjae, baby,” Jaebum chuckles, low and gentle. He pulls his hand from Youngjae’s hair to press it to his chest, to create the distance they’d closed up in a second. 

“Sorry, sorry.” Youngjae blinks at him, eyes already stinging with tears. 

“Where do you want to get married?”

Wow. Okay. They’re having this conversation now. “On the beach. Our first date was on the beach, remember? When I asked you out.”

Jaebum’s mouth snaps closed and he looks a little thunderstruck. “Oh. Romantic.”

The first time they went to the beach; the first time Youngjae rode on Jaebum’s bike, that first time he trusted Jaebum, the first time they flew into the unknown together. Youngjae doesn’t fear motorcycles anymore, but he’ll never forget the way his stomach lurched when he got on the first time, but had faith in the open road. 

“I was so lost back then.” Youngjae drops his head against Jaebum’s chest. “Like, I was still only twenty and totally and completely lost in life and I was trying to take responsibility for things, because, y’know I was supposed to be an adult, but couldn’t make decisions for myself because I really didn’t know how things worked, and then we sat on the beach and you made me feel totally validated. And you listened to everything I had to say and you listened to my feelings and I knew that I wanted you.”

The new few seconds pass by in silence, until Jaebum brings a hand to curl around Youngjae’s neck. “I could see that. I remember that was what I admired about you. Underneath your goofy and shy personality was a determined, hard-working boy that pushed through all his troubles all by himself. I thought you were so strong, and so mature and level-headed, and the mask you wore really surprised me. You came here because you wanted to really discover you were, and I held back because, well, my feelings for you weren’t very appropriate— “

“I think we handled it well.”

“Yeah, but you were twenty and my _student_. I was really uncertain about it, even when I realized I wanted to give you the whole damn world.” Jaebum’s thumb grazes the back of Youngjae’s neck. “But I also held back because I thought it would’ve been better if you could explore the world with your own eyes, and not be tied down by a relationship.”

“Nothing about being with you makes me feel tied down.” Youngjae wriggles to get his arms around Jaebum’s waist, the two of them having to adjust their positions. Youngjae lies over Jaebum now, Jaebum propped up against the armrest. 

“All my relationships before you were pretty shallow, and I didn’t realize why or how until you and I started dating. We were on the same level, even though you’re so much younger than me— “

“I really don’t think of that. Like. Ever.” Youngjae buries his face in Jaebum’s chest. “Minah’s boyfriend is six years older than her. So what’s another few months matter? I don’t want to hear it anymore..”

They’re quiet again. Both of them just thinking, remembering. 

“So, the beach?” Jaebum whispers. 

Youngjae nods, dazed by the subject matter, but the future looks bathed in sunlight.

“We’re not gonna wear shoes in the sand, are we?”

“I think suits without shoes looks funny.”

Youngjae rests his weight on his arms, lifting himself to counter Jaebum’s confused expression with his own. “We’re wearing suits?”

“What do you think we were going to wear??”

“Shorts!”

“ _No_??”


End file.
